Baby Trouble
by WhiteGloves
Summary: Elladan and Elrohir are in charge of taking care of Estel for the day after Lord Elrond left for an important business. Will they be able to solve the adan's 'food' problem without causing much embarrassment? And what of the Elf Prince?


**BABY TROUBLE**

By: WhiteGloves

**Please read the little story! ^_^**

**Sorry if i may have some incorrect terms -_-"  
**

"Don't poke him more, Ro, he might-"

A loud screech erupted around the room.

"-cry." finished Elladan as he sighed, bending down the bed to cradle the human child to his arms.

"He's been crying since this morning," said Elrohir tiredly, "I was trying to make him stop."

"Apparently it's not working." said Elladan patiently.

"Hush now _tithen pen_," said Elrohir weakly, unable to comprehend how a little bundle of a child could produce such a monstrous noise. "Ada will be here any moment now- so please stop crying, you will only get tired."

"He's just a child," said Elladan knowingly, cradling the human gently, "he wouldn't be able to understand what you are saying…"

"But why is he crying?" asked Elrohir trying to block his sensitive ears from the torturous sound.

"Maybe he's hurt?" suggested Elladan worriedly, looking at the little child closely. Elrohir shook his head.

"Impossible, we were with him ever since ada left."

"Then what? Don't tell me you took another one of his toys? Come on Ro! I told you to stop picking on him!"

"I did not!" said Elrohir defensively, "I did not lay my fingers on his teddy bear today!"

Elladan frowned as he struggled to analyze what could have ailed his little foster brother, who had been with them only three days ago. The little child continued to cry nonstop, his little fingers gripping the cloth on Elladan's chest. A sudden understanding crept up the Elf's face and he shot his twin brother a look with a mixture of wonder and awe.

"Ro,"

"Aye?"

"I think Estel's hungry."

Elrohir looked at him with a smile. "Then let's feed him!" he said lightly.

Elladan blinked at him.

"How?" he asked more to himself.

This was the first time they had encountered such matter for it was Lord Elrond who had feed the child from the very beginning of his stay. Now that Lord Elrond was off for some business, the sudden situation was a challenge to them.

"I sometimes see ada feeding him with, well- I don't know exactly what but he would always crush it through the mortar?"

"That's not very helpful," said Elladan while hushing the child, "Let's stick to something we know otherwise we'll end up feeding him something not good for his body."

Elrohir nodded thoughtfully.

"But what do we know, brother?"

Elladan's eyebrow creased as he once again tried to remember something a human mother was capable off.

"Milk." He suddenly said out loud.

"That's right!" said Elrohir, nodding, "He would want some milk! Where do we get one? I can run to the kitchen-"

"No- no, remember Ro, this is a human child! It would require a mother to feed him!"

"Oh yeah…" nodded Elrohir again, "Where do they keep their milks again?"

The twins abruptly looked into each other and then almost automatically down their chest.

Estel's cry suddenly broke the trance and both elves looked at each other with a grimace.

"Dan, you are the older one." started Elrohir seriously.

"Ro, I am the older one and thus I instruct you to go and do it."

"I will not ask a 'she- elf' to do the nursing!" complained Elrohir turning red.

"Neither will I!" said Elladan outrageously. As though on cue, Estel's wail erupted more loudly this time and the twins, who loved their brother more than their pride, sighed in defeat.

They walked out of the room in search for a 'she elf' for the sake of their little brother, trying hard to shake the feeling to give up the idea and wait for their father's return.

"There's one!" exclaimed Elrohir suddenly pointing ahead.

Elladan looked up both feeling delighted and nervous. His smile suddenly faded when he realized who his brother was pointing at and grimaced.

"That's not a 'she elf'!" he said shaking his head, "That's Legolas!"

Legolas turned around as a noise suddenly broke the peacefulness of his surroundings. He saw Elladan and Elrohir coming up behind him with the older twin carrying something on his arms.

"Legolas!" said Elrohir grinning.

"_Mae Govannen_," greeted the Elf Prince bowing slightly, his eyebrows creasing at the apparent cry of the child inside the small bundle, "Is that Estel?" He had heard the story of Lord Elrond adopting an adan into his household and this was the first time he was able to confirm it.

"Aye, it is!" said Elladan, facing Legolas, "what brought you here, _mellon nin_?"

"My father-," started the prince but Estel's cry consumed his words. He looked up at the twins with raise eyebrows. "Why is he crying?"

"He's hungry," explained Elrohir, "Ada's not around so we were kind of looking for a 'she elf' to feed him."

"A she elf?" inquired the Elf Prince blinking.

"Yes, to feed him," Elladan answered, picking his ear hastily, "Or give him milk from the chest or something."

Legolas raised his eyebrows higher in disbelief.

"And you two are going to ask 'her' to just do it, I believe?"

Both the twins didn't answer.

Legolas pressed his lips to avoid laughing and to acknowledge the idea that the twins will do anything for their brother, even tolerate embarrassment.

"Give him here," he then said, taking the crying child from Elladan's arms. He cradled the child gently and the child looked at him with eyes still brimming with tears.

"Now little one," soothed Legolas locking gaze with the child, whom he noticed, possessing such expressive bright eyes. "You need not be afraid, your brothers and I will take care of you. Will you please stop crying? You will only exhaust your little body."

"Legolas, he's-" started Elladan again but paused when he saw Estel gulp once then slowly ceased crying.

The twins looked at Legolas in wonder, their mouth gaping open.

Legolas smiled and clasped the little one fondly,

"That's a good child."

Elladan and Elrohir gave each other a knowing look before turning to the Elf Prince.

"So now it takes an Elf Prince to calm Estel eh?"

"Don't jest, Elrohir, you both know you are as much in Royalty as I am." countered the Elf Prince.

"Will you stay for long, Legolas?" asked Elladan, "Estel somewhat- needed a 'new' hand to lead him."

"I don't mind staying for this little one," agreed Legolas pausing a little, "but it does concern me for he is man... Men are mortals my friends, how will you-"

The atmosphere suddenly turned murky and Legolas stopped just in time to see the twins shift in their positions awkwardly.

"Ada said he will pass someday, yes," nodded Elladan,"But not after so many years to share."

_My heart will not follow him_, thought the Elf Prince not knowing how deep he will be involved with the future King of Men.

"I thought we are going to feed him?" asked Elrohir suddenly from beside them.

"He had ceased crying though," said Elladan in response, "Maybe he thought Legolas will milk him or something?"

"Watch your tongue," saide Legolas, eyeing Elladan dangerously but the Elf merely chuckled.

"Let's search for a 'real' she elf then!" said Elrohir quite brighter than he expected.

"I'll hold Estel while you two talk to the lady," said Legolas walking ahead a smile tugging on his lips.

"Aye," answered the twins dully with their eyes rolling.

"Elrohir?" said Legolas suddenly, "What do you mean by 'real' she elf', if you don't mind?"

A response was a nervous laugh from the younger twin.

---------------------

Lord Elrond urged his horse a little faster as he and Glorfindel made their way back to Rivendell from their urgent business from the camp of the rangers.

"_Hir nin_, you better slow down, we are nearly there," said Glorfindel as he watched his Lord's disquiet stance.

"The more point to haste," countered the Elf Lord softly, "I cannot wait to hear from my sons, this is the first time I left Estel in their hands and I doubt they have realized all of his need are different than theirs. Especially to food. I have tried to explain to them but they were too busy playing with the little one, I doubt they even heard me."

"Its not like the twins to feed him anything, right?" asked the Balrog slayer uncertainly.

"No, its not." agreed the Elf Lord in relief, "but I wonder what kind of tactics they would end up with before realizing that the our cook is already familiar with what Estel eats."

The Balrog slayer thought for a moment before pressing his laughter.

Lord Elrond half turned to him with raised eyebrows.

"Mind to share what it was that you find funny?"

"Well, pardon me Elrond, but the worst scenario I could think of was the twins hunting some 'she elf' to feed the child!"

Lord Elrond's heart did a somersault and he urged his horse more, turning pale.

_Oh Eru! I should hope not!_

And he kicked his horse to run faster, leaving the delighted Balrog slayer behind.

Back in Imladris, Legolas sighed as he carried the human child now sleeping on his shoulders.

_Those two_, he thought quite amused, _will never learn their lesson_.

**~END~**

_..._ _Meanwhile.._.

"Its your fault, Dan!" complained Elrohir, supporting a reddening left cheek as they followed Legolas who was walking far ahead with Estel on his arms,

"Why blame me?" asked Elladan grumpily, supporting the same red cheek,

"I told you I'd look on the kitchens, didn't I?"

"Well- you agreed on my idea!"

"I did not!"

"You did, too!"

"Did not-"

"Did too-"

--------

**~END~**


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